1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to a cabinet. More particularly, this invention pertains to a cabinet having overlapping doors with means to provide a dust and water tight seal upon closure of the doors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of cabinets in industrial applications for housing electrical components and the like is quite common. In order to protect the housed components, the cabinets must seal the interior of the cabinet from external contaminants (for example, water and dust). Also, such cabinets may be used in outdoor applications where the probability of contamination of the interior increases. The industry has developed recognized standards for dust and water seal cabinets (for example, NEMA standards Type 4 and 12).
For housing electrical components, it is desirable to have a large access opening to the cabinet interior. The larger the opening, the larger the components which may be stored within the cabinet.
For cabinets with large openings, a hinged door becomes quite heavy and presents the possibility of damaging its hinges. Therefore, for large openings, dual doors are provided to cover the opening with each of the doors separately hinged.
In order to seal dual door cabinets, a support bar is commonly provided within the interior of the cabinet. The bar extends vertically down the center of the cabinet. When both doors were pivoted to the closed position, the free edge of the doors (i.e., the edges opposite the hinges) butt up and seal against the central support bar of the cabinet. Unfortunately, the presence of a central support bar restricts the size of components which can be placed within the interior of the cabinet since the central support bar is an obstruction to insertion of components into the cabinet interior.
Prior art cabinets have eliminated the central support bar and, instead, have provided overlapping doors. In overlapping dual doors, when the doors are in the closed position, an interior face of one door faces and abuts an exterior face of the other door in overlying relation. In order to provide a seal, a gasket or other sealing member would be provided on the opposing areas of each door to have a gasket-to-gasket seal. However, with respect to at least one of the doors, this would require a gasket on both the interior and exterior surfaces of the door. Such an arrangement adds to the complexity and cost of a cabinet door. Also, such prior art doors frequently do not provide adequate sealing of dust and water from the cabinet interior.